Rewards Program

We all like to be rewarded in some way for the things we do.  Work hard and you will succeed.  You will be rewarded.

'Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.' - Matthew 6:1

In today's Gospel, Jesus wants his disciples to learn a lesson about the Kingdom of God.  The kingdom Jesus is talking about works differently than all the kingdoms on earth.  In God's Kingdom, we act out of love and not for gain.

He talks about this in terms of rewards, but I don't think he means we are scoring "Brownie" points in Heaven when we practice our piety in secret.

If we need a reward for praying or fasting or giving to the poor, then why are we doing these things?  Certainly it is not out of love, and loving one another is what the Kingdom is all about.

This all flies in the face of good Public Relations practices, where we craft our stories around the good that we do to win support or customers.

Jesus was not a traditional marketer.  He relied on word of mouth, and it got him a huge following.

One could argue that good marketing campaigns are not just about how great we are, but about what great things we can accomplish for others with help, especially if we are non-profit organizations looking to serve many.

But I think people respond best to a more humble approach. 

There is no denying that when one gives, one feels good, if not always, then at least some of the time.  And you could say that is a form of reward.

I believe that feeling is a taste of what it is like to live fully in the Kingdom of God, where all we do is blessed and the Grace of God pours down upon us.  It is a gift of the Holy Spirit working through us, being strengthened by the love we share with others and they share with us.

So, God's rewards program is a lot different than what we are used to.  We don't earn double miles and we don't get a free ride.  We do get forgiveness and grace and love and countless blessings, but we get that whether we do His work or not.

So, what makes this different is how it changes us.

We become more like Him.

And that is more than any reward program can give.

More to come...